Pauli Gardner still remembers the moment mindfulness found them on a chaotic first day teaching in New York City. The subway had stalled, the cab was stuck in traffic and their heart was racing by the time they arrived to face a class of 75 staring students.<\/p>\n
Instinctively, Gardner asked everyone to close their eyes, breathe and let go.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just talked myself through what I needed \u2014 \u2018relax your jaw, lower your shoulders, find your breath,\u2019\u201d they recall. \u201cWhen I finally opened my eyes, you could hear a pin drop.\u201d<\/p>\n
That simple act would shape the 2025 Brock University Distinguished Teaching Award<\/a> recipient\u2019s teaching philosophy for years to come.<\/p>\n For Gardner, teaching is about \u201cworking from the inside out\u201d and helping students tune into their thoughts, emotions and bodies as the foundation for meaningful learning and connection.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a world that\u2019s moving faster than ever, and with artificial intelligence reshaping how we learn and work, I think deeply about what remains distinctly human. Connection, compassion and presence \u2014 that\u2019s where the deepest learning happens,\u201d they say.<\/p>\n The \u00a0Associate Professor of Health Sciences begins every class with a brief check-in and mindfulness meditation.<\/p>\n \u201cI want my students to really engage with what they are learning,\u201d Gardner says. \u201cLearning isn\u2019t just about information; it\u2019s about attention, curiosity and showing up for yourself and others.\u201d<\/p>\n At the core of Gardner\u2019s work is contemplative pedagogy, an approach that integrates mindfulness, reflection and experiential learning to help students explore equity, empathy and social change.<\/p>\n Through practices like meditation, reflective writing and non-judgmental listening, students learn to focus attention, expand awareness and cultivate compassion for themselves and others.<\/p>\n \u201cOur fast-paced, technology-saturated world fractures our attention and erodes meaningful connection,\u201d they say. \u201cBy slowing down and focusing on the present moment, we learn not just the material, but also how to think critically, listen generously and engage with intention.\u201d<\/p>\n Gardner\u2019s approach to teaching inspired them to create Through Their Eyes<\/a>, an intergenerational service-learning project that pairs students with older adults in Niagara\u2019s senior residences, and the ICER Award<\/a>, which immerses a graduate student in a seniors\u2019 housing complex for a full year to lead community-engagement activities.<\/p>\n Mindfulness and relationship building are also central to Gardner\u2019s work as a graduate student supervisor.<\/p>\n \u201cI rely on my contemplative practices to hold space for their discomfort rather than rushing to fix it,\u201d they say. \u201cIt helps them move forward with confidence and ownership of their work.\u201d<\/p>\n Gardner has always been interested in how learning happens. Before coming to Brock in 2013, one of the many jobs they held was as an elementary school teacher.<\/p>\n \u201cI came into academia with a strong foundation and knowing how to plan a class, structure lessons and truly engage students,\u201d they say. \u201cThat experience continues to shape how I build meaningful connections and create spaces where learning feels personal and alive.\u201d<\/p>\n They received Brock\u2019s Award for Excellence in Teaching for Early Career Faculty \u00a0in 2014, the Chancellor\u2019s Chair for Teaching Excellence in 2016 and the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Teaching Excellence Award in 2018.<\/p>\n Gardner, who addressed graduates during Brock\u2019s 118th Convocation<\/a> in October, says they are humbled to be a part of the University\u2019s community of passionate educators.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many amazing faculty at Brock. We each bring different strengths to our work. For me teaching is where I feel I can truly make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n Gardner will share insights into their teaching during the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation\u2019s annual Tribute to Teaching<\/a>\u00a0on Thursday, Dec. 4.<\/p>\n